“Prosecutors already have the tools to prosecute smash and grab sprees as felonies – but only if the perpetrators are caught. Rather than repealing successful legislation, law enforcement, retailers, and other stakeholders need to pursue smart solutions to prevent theft and catch it when it occurs – that’s what will bring the peace of mind we all want.”

Over the summer, multiple stores in Los Angeles were targeted in an organized retail theft spree resulting in the loss of over $750,000 worth of merchandise. It was just the latest in a slew of brazen smash-and-grab style crimes across the state that were captured on video and viewed by millions of people.

These videos are shocking and often make us feel unsafe. But what’s causing these crimes and what can be done about them?

Let’s start by dispelling an increasingly common, albeit objectively false, claim by many in law enforcement that a law passed 9 years ago, Proposition 47, is responsible for alleged increases in property and other crimes in California this year. For background, Proposition 47–which was backed by nearly 60% of California voters–reduced simple possession of drugs for personal use (not drug dealing) from a felony to a misdemeanor and increased the felony theft threshold from $400 to $950 to keep pace with inflation.

The claim that a law passed 9 years ago is now driving property crime may sound plausible, but it’s flat wrong. Studies have shown that Proposition 47, and similar policy changes across 37 U.S. states, did not increase property crime. And in California, property crime has actually fallen since Proposition 47 passed in 2014.

Also falling since its passage in 2014 are recidivism rates and racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Proposition 47 has also redirected hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of crime, drug and mental health treatment and other programs proven to reduce crime. One study found the reforms saved taxpayers nearly $600 million in reduced prison costs.